Customer Reviews

Timmy's in the Well: The Jon Provost Story (100s Visual)

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"Timmy's in the Well", the new book by Jon Provost and his wife, Laurie Jacobson, transports those of us "of a certain age" to a different place in time and memory. "Lassie" will always hold a special place in our formative years. This new book allows us to share in the making of a classic from the point of view of the young actor who was Timmy Martin. Mr. Provost pays warm tribute to the late Tommy Rettig and a dignified nod to the legendary Roddy McDowell who both preceded him as Lassie's young companion. This book is rich with the shared memories of many of Jon Provost's TV companions from a variety of now-classic shows that shaped a generation. In an honest manner, the pain as well as the joy of being "famous" youngsters sharing their youth with millions of others through the magic of 1950's/1960's TV is brought home. For all of you who, like me, not only remember but value those times in a world which seemed sweeter and safer--this book is well worth your time.
Ron Szudy

Reading this book is like going back in time to my childhood when we knew to be in the house by 7 PM Sunday night to watch Lassie and Timmy (Jon Provost). The book is not just about Jon Provost, but it is a behind the scenes glimpse into the great young starts of TV in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It also presents lessons in parenting. Provost would be recognized by almost everyone in the United States at that time. Despite his fame, he grew up without front page scandals as is often seen with today's young stars. The books explains how his mother raised him and taught him to appreciate his fans who were his "customers." Also how she respected his feelings by allowing him to retire when he was about to enter high school even though he was offered a nice contract extension. It's hard to put the book down, so many stories about so many people we grew up knowing through TV. GREAT BOOK!!!!

I tend to agree with Silverman's review on this book. Certainly I've read many autobiographies of actors, musicians, and literary authors. If you are the type of biography reader who is searching for numerous salacious stories about the people involved (hey, Lassie was a dog; how salacious could his life have been??), this is NOT the book for you. If you are a Lassie fan, of any age, who is interested in reading Jon (and others') perspective about the Lassie show over the years, its episodes, its many stars--you will enjoy this book. If you are interested in learning about Jon's own life before and beyond the Lassie years, he AND other people who were are part of his life then provide interesting and insightful details about his life. To those of us old enough to remember the Schultz twins and The Monroes or David Cassidy or Bobby Sherman, this book is also a "trip down memory lane", as the saying goes, but an enjoyable one, if not always a pleasant one for those involved. I have a suspicion that Laurie's knowledge of Hollywood history probably helped Jon put his story in a historical context for us that might otherwise NOT have been there; that context adds to the enjoyment of reading this book. As a Lassie fan, I always knew most kids of my generation (the 1960's) preferred the "Timmy" shows to the "Jeff" ones. Why? Because Timmy, Ruth, and Paul tended to be positive characters, with little of Jeff, his mother, and Grandpa's negativity, whining or complaining often. Not surprisingly, Laurie and Jon end this book with Jon's positive assessment of his past years, including Lassie, rather than the typical child star regret. I enjoyed the book immensely.

This book is absolutely terrific, not just for movie and TV fans, but also for any adult who might be preparing for, or currently struggling with, success, challenge, frustration, or failure. Do you enjoy Hollywood movie history, or info about legendary stars and classic TV? Or perhaps when growing up, you watched a favorite child star perform and dearly wanted to be like him or her, thinking life would be so fun, rosy and glamorous to be so popular, cute, rich and famous. Perhaps you dreamed it would bring fast cars, beautiful living, smart clothes, endless friends and gorgeous dates. Well, now's your chance to personally experience what all this might have been like. But beware. Things are not always what they seem. Sometimes they are more.

In this very special and unique autobiography, you'll become a member of Jon Provost's family, past and present. You'll feel right at home, following the young actor through all the ups and downs, hopes and dreams, thrills and chills (not to mention pains and strains), of a childhood spent working in 50's and 60's movies and television. You'll be transported into a wonderful, yet sometimes strange and even downright dangerous world of wild success, fame and fortune.

Fame does bring great stuff, attention and privileges. It's all here in this book, with amazing, wonderful, unbelievable, incredible times. You'll meet many famous adult and kid stars backstage and in real life, as well as numerous regular friends and coworkers, too. Their impressions and perspectives, both positive and negative, are quite candidly included. Family and off-camera photos on practically every page help to set the period and mood.

But fame and success bring even more. And the extra stuff is often not so good, seldom anticipated, or even understood, not only by the person at the center of the maelstrom, but also by family, friends, employers and fans.

In this book, Jon Provost and his entire family circle confide their personal lives with a most rare honesty and openness. It's a deeply personal journey toward success of a different kind. You'll find it hard to stop reading. I recommend it very highly. Just as his character "Timmy" did on Lassie, Jon Provost is still teaching us valuable lessons about life, but this time through his own.

I found "Timmy's in the Well" to be a fascinating read. It brought to my consciousness the Lassie TV show's innate moral values which, watching it every week for years, had a positive formative impact upon my character (there's a positive for the power of the media!). It was then fascinating to see the oftimes contrast between the appearance of the show and the reality behind it: particularly chilling was the instance when Jon was applauded for his "performance" of drowning, when he actually almost had. Interesting also was the impact that Jon's career had on his siblings, another "reality" behind the scenes. In this autobiography, co-authored by his wife, Laurie Jacobson, Jon's recollections are balanced by many quotations of his family and friends; their statements often give different perspectives to the same event, and thus give a three dimensional depth to his story. The reader is left with some work to do, some conclusions to draw, which is analogous to the process of reading a great novel.

While this book covers the life events of Jon Provost's life, it is also a powerful statement of the social climate of the 50's and 60's in this country. It was startling to realize that it was less than fifty years ago that racial prejudices were so severe that Lassie's sponsors were afraid that they would lose business if a famous black sports figure appeared as a guest on the show. Later in this autobiography, the "highs" and the "lows" of the 60's scene are brought to life in a realistic accounting of those days of "free love." Laurie Jacobson did an excellent job of presenting Jon's life within the context of the times.


But the real value of this autobiography for me is that it is an exploration of love between all the members of a family struggling to cope with their roles in this unusual and unreal life. Despite the tensions, conflicts, jealousies, and inherent misunderstandings, each Provost family member managed to arrive at a place of mutual respect for each other. And any book, or any life, that can achieve that goal, is an inspiration for us all.

From: [..]

"Timmy's In The Well" is an amazing accomplishment. If you ever watched Jon as Timmy Martin in "Lassie," you must get this book.

It's not a book for kids. Provost vividly evokes the sweeping social changes in America from the staid 50's, through the swinging 60's, and beyond. This is a real insider's view of growing up in Hollywood, with many revelations about the life of a TV child star.

All of the wild fun, the hard work, and the bitter pain, is told candidly, with total honesty and utter sincerity. There are many quotes and comments from Provost's colleagues and friends in the entertainment business, and although the photos are small, there are a lot of them, conveniently integrated into the text.

First of all, let me say that I read this on my Kindle, which is not quite the same experience as reading it in a "physical book" format. Reading "straight text" on a Kindle is pretty much the same experience as a book, but when pictures, timelines, etc are inserted here and there, it can get confusing. Others have commented in their reviews on the small, dark pictures, and on the timelines not always being on the same page as the comments being displayed (in the physical book). Both of these are even worse on the Kindle.

I also had trouble with comments from people who seem to have the same first name: "which" Bruce is this? "which" Laurie is this? which "Susan" is this? "Most" of the comments from others listed a last name, but not all. Listing a last name (or at least a last initial) for ALL quotes/comments would have helped in that regard.

Having said all that, I enjoyed the book immensely. What a great look into Jon's life (and kids in Hollywood during the '50's and '60's, in general), not just from Jon himself, but from his family, friends, coworkers, and fans.

As a kid growing up in the '50s and '60's, I watched Jon in Lassie and always wanted "his life". I now see that he had a much different life than I thought he did. He still went through the same trouble "finding oneself" that we all go through in our teens, but he had to do it with the added burden of EVERYONE watching him! I can't even begin to imagine that!

The added comments from his family members and other child stars tended to make the story a bit meandering while I was reading it. However, at the end of the book, I realized those comments actually gave more depth into the situation, and I was glad to see the story from many angles.

Good job, Jon and Laurie, and continued success!

This is well-written, filled with many quotes from famous kids of the time on tv.
And best of all, there are pictures on almost every page!
The only downer might be Paul Peterson (can he EVER say anything nice about anything?), but all the rest of the contributors are excellent.
GET THIS BOOK!!!

luv, miss josh emmett

This was a great book and brought back a lot of memories of the 50's and 60's. Being the same age as Jon I couldn't help feel the fun and pain of having to be "on" 24/7 at such an early age. The book reads well, with lot's of pictures, stories from both Jon's point of view and his friends and co-workers. Reading the book was a real blast from the past and I truly recommend reading it if you have any interest in what it might have been like in the "good old days of Hollywood". It is also a warning to parents on what to expect when you put your child in the middle of an adult world. I went to Jon's website where I saw great pictures that are not in the book along with his schedule of personal appearances.

Wow! What an incredible in-depth story about the #1 child star of all times, Jon Provost. I have been Jon Provost's friend for over 40 years and found the book to be an accurate account of what Jon endured as a child and young man. The photos in the book are wonderful. All of us who were watching television in the 60's will never forget how we held our breath when Timmy fell into the well. Now you can read about his real life. A double "BRAVO" to Jon and Laurie Jacobson for such a great book. A real must-have for everyone! AVOIDING THE 15 BIGGEST MISTAKES PARENTS MAKE: A PEDIATRICIAN'S PERSPECTIVE